co-inventors came up with a strategy to
make layers of plastic with very well-defined small pores, similar to moth eyes. But
by making the pores larger than they are
in most other types of moth eye coatings,
they were able to incorporate titanium dioxide nanocrystals into the structure.
These nanocrystals are photocatalytic
- when light falls on them, they start to
break down the dirt clogging the pores,
until all that is left is carbon dioxide, and
water which evaporates off the surface,
rendering the material self-cleaning.
In early tests of the material, the titanium dioxide nanoparticles were able to
break down all of the oils contained in a
fingerprint within 90 minutes. The coating is capable of breaking down most
of the standard hydrocarbons that clog
most porous antireflective coatings.
The breakthrough research is the first
time that these nanoparticles have been
effectively incorporated into antireflective
coatings, raising the possibility of antireflective, self-cleaning glass or plastic. The
coating adheres to the substrate through
sol-gel chemistry, resulting in a durable
bond and a coating which will not flake off.
While the material is currently only
suitable for outdoor applications as it requires ultraviolet light for photocatalysis
to occur, the team are planning more tests
to see if the material could be adapted in
future for indoor light, which would open
up a wide range of potential applications.
is currently looking at applications
in building glass and solar cells, as much
of the sunlight solar cells are meant to
capture and convert to energy simply
bounces off the surface, and current antireflective coatings become easily clogged
with dirt. “When generating energy from
solar cells, you have to fight for every percentage gain in efficiency,” said Professor
Steiner. “The coating we’ve developed
combines two interesting scientific principles, and could increase the amount of
light getting into the solar cells.”
Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony
Interior Acrylic Latex
Paint Reduces Airborne
Formaldehyde Levels
Sherwin-Williams enhanced Harmony
Interior Acrylic Latex Paint, features
industry-leading innovations that help
promote better indoor air quality and
reduce common indoor odors, accord-
ing to the company. Combined with its
zero-VOC formula and washable fin-
ish, enhanced Harmony Paint delivers
advanced performance for residential
and commercial professionals alike.
“Enhanced Harmony Paint is a
groundbreaking coating that of-
fers innovative performance fea-
tures not expected from a paint,”
said Karl Schmitt, vice presi-
dent of marketing research and design,
Sherwin-Williams.
Once the paint has dried, enhanced Harmony’s Formaldehyde
Reducing Technology reduces airborne
